Sotheby’s Unveils Ultra-Rare 1990s Prototypes for the World’s First Collectible Whiskey Series From Famed Closed American Distilleries

Set of Five Tells a Crucial Element of the Story of Rare American Whiskey History That Has Until Now Gone Untold

LIVE AUCTION: 14 APRIL 2023

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‘COURTESY SOTHEBY’S’

LONDON, APRIL 2023 – Today, Sotheby’s unveils The Rare American Whiskey Selection 1976-1982, an extraordinary and unique set of five prototype bottles created in the mid-1990s, representing the rarest American whiskey to ever be offered at auction. These bottles were originally produced as the prototypes for the world’s first collectable ultra-premium U.S. whiskey series to exclusively feature closed distilleries in America.

The project was the initiative of The Classic Kentucky Bourbon Company, a subsidiary of United Distillers (UD) in 1997. At the time, UD owned the Bernheim Distillery and Stitzel-Weller. On the point of The Rare American Whiskey Selection project receiving approval for launch, UD merged with another company, International Distillers & Vinters to create United Distillers & Vintners, forming the spirits division of Diageo. At this point the project was shelved, never to be revived.

The original premise of the Rare American Whiskey Selection project was to create an annual release of five very different barrel proof, high age statement whiskies. The project got as far as bottling 2 examples of each of the selected whiskeys, with prototype labels, but filled with the actual liquid to show the finished product as it would be sold. The whiskeys were tasted not just within UD, but also by respected industry critics at the time (see tasting notes by Dave Broom below from 1997).

The 2 sets of liquid were split up and, ironically, one set was sent to the Stitzel-Weller distillery for safekeeping, while the other set remained at the company HQ in the UK for the European market (hence the 70cl bottle size). It is believed that the set at the SW distillery were destroyed in the distillery fire, making this set the only one that still remains in existence.

This series of whiskeys, initially to be released in a limited run of 6,000 bottles per release, would have been a landmark in the history of premium American Whiskey. The project would have preceded the Buffalo Trance Antique Collection by a number of years, and seen the footprint of U.S. Whiskeys in whisk(e)y collector circles change dramatically. These bottles represent not only ultra-rare liquid from now closed distilleries, but a crucial element of the story of rare American Whiskey’s history that has until now gone untold.

The 5 prototype bottles which comprise the set:

1. Old Quaker Indiana Corn Whiskey 21 Year Old Limited Edition Barrel Proof 65.0 abv 1976
   Original Tasting Notes by Dave Broom in 1997
2. Stitzel-Weller Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Limited Edition 17 Year Old Barrel Proof 53.5 abv 1980
3. Taylor-Williams Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Limited Edition 17 Year Old Barrel Proof 56.0 abv 1980
4. George T Stagg Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey Limited Edition 16 Year Old Barrel Proof 57.0 abv 1981
5. Buffalo Springs Kentucky Rye Mash Whiskey Limited Edition 15 Year Old Barrel Proof 62.5 abv 1982

“Unearthing rare whiskeys like this is what makes auctions at Sotheby’s so special. This set represents not only the rarest bottles of premium American Whiskey ever to have existed, but a piece of storytelling that has never been shared. This chapter has been missing from the history books and I’m delighted that we can bring it to life”

Jonny Fowle, Head of Sotheby’s Whiskey & Spirits